Las Vegas Locomotives, UFL fates still up in air

If it were up to Jim Fassel, the Locomotives would remain in Las Vegas.

But because the call ultimately will be up to the United Football League and Locos owner Bill Hambrecht, Fassel, the team's president and coach, is in a holding pattern.

"We're working on different avenues," Fassel said Tuesday at the team's facility. "I want to stay here. I think we can make it here. But my first obligation is to Bill Hambrecht and the league.

"Bill's concerned about the numbers working here. We're doing our due diligence, and we have to look at our options."

Fassel said a decision on whether the Locos remain in Las Vegas, or if there's even a UFL in 2012, will be made in the next 60 days.

The league wants to expand from four teams to six, and the Locos could relocate to a smaller market. Jackson, Miss., Chattanooga, Tenn., and Des Moines, Iowa, have been mentioned as possible cities for UFL franchises, along with Salt Lake City and Portland, Ore.

"Trust me, we're not going to get this resolved in a week," Fassel said. "But we should know by the end of January."

Since the Locos lost the UFL title game 17-3 to Virginia on Oct. 21, there have been meetings with several entities, leaguewide and locally, to determine whether the UFL plays a fourth season. There have been talks with the NFL about partnering with the UFL. There have been talks with TV networks and cable companies about providing coverage.

Fassel said the team is refunding season-ticket holders for the two home games canceled this season. He also said the players should be receiving the balance of what's owed them in the next couple of weeks.

As for whether there will be a UFL next year, Fassel said several factors have to happen -- and soon -- for the league to remain in business.

"We need to go from four to six teams," he said. "We need to get financing in place, get all our debt settled so we can start fresh. We have to market our teams better, and we need some sort of TV deal. If we can do a regional package mixed in with a couple of national TV games, I think we'll be fine there.

"We've got the product. It all comes down to finances."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.